Apparatus for administering and conserving gas



Nov. 17, 1959 s. L. LIEBER 2,912,979

APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING AND CONSERVING GAS Filed Feb. 1'7, 1956 I ETOR.

APPARATUS FOR ADMINISTERING AND CONSERVING GAS Samuel LoewensteinLieber, Shreveport, La. Application February 17, 1956, Serial No.566,290 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-203) The invention pertains to apparatus foradministering gases in general, but more in particular to theadministering of oxygen and to the conservation thereof during itsadministration.

Patients being treated for many respiratory diseases are frequentlygiven oxygen during the course of treatment. In hospitals, tubercularsanitariums and other rest homes, the source of the oxygen is oftencentrally located within the building and is piped through special ductsto the several rooms in the area where such patients are confined.Suitable regulators and valves, of course, are supplied; but when usingthe oxygen, the patient must choose either the conventional oxygen tentor the face mask. The latter cannot be made suitably comfortable to thepatient, while the tent prohibits conversation which is sometimesnecessary and helpful.

United States Patent O The most objectionable feature of the entiresystem is 1 the waste of the oxygen to which, it seems, no thought hasbeen given in the prior art. In this system the flow of oxygen remainsconstant during the patients respiratory cycle. It is readilyunderstandable that during the time of the patients exhalation, thatquantity of oxygen is lost, or at least the greater portion of it. Whilethe quantity of oxygen lost to one patient in a days time might seemsmall, the amount over a period of time is considerable. In fact, thewaste in a single hospital amounts to hundreds and even thousands ofdollars in a years time. V

One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is theconservation of that quantity of oxygen which might be wasted in theconventional method of administration.

Another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus operatedby the patient himself to control his oxygen flow only during theinhalation period of his breathing cycle.

A further object of the invention is the provision of apparatuspermitting oxygen flow during the period of a patients inhalation andwhich permits such flow regardless of the amplitude of the cycle.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of apparatus, aportion of which is worn and operated by the patient as a control means;such control means being electrically connected to other portions of theapparatus for the control of the flow of oxygen.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent inthe course of the following detailed description when viewed togetherwith the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates, more or less diagrammatically, the apparatusembodying my invention in an oxygen administrating and conservingmechanism.

Fig. 2 is an alternate construction of an expansible belt worn by thepatient and carrying the oxygen control means.

In the drawing numeral 10 designates a belt adapted to be positionedaround the abdomen and chest of the patient. In this manner anyexpansion or contraction of the patients chest or abdomen will besuflicient to operate the oxygen control system. The belt, of course,may be constructed of any material, but preferably of some non-flexiblefabric so as to be as comfortable as possible for wearing by thepatient.

Affixed to one end of the belt is a coil 11 having a hollow core andassociated with a plunger 12 fastened to the opposite end of the belt10. Thus, when the patient expands the chest or abdomen duringbreathing, the plunger 12 is moved longitudinally in the core of thecoil 11. The result is the generation of a small electrical currentwithin the coil 11. This electrical phenomenon of generating a smallcurrent by moving an iron core Within a coil is used considerably in theelectronic field for the control of lighting, sound, in frequencystabilization and in other uses. It is not believed, however, to haveever been used in a device made according to the teachings of thepresent invention.

The leads 1 3 and 14 are electrically connected to an amplifying unitdesignated generally by the numeral 15, which uses the normal voltcurrent supply S. The purpose of the amplifying unit is to receive thesmall current generated in the coil 11 and to amplify it to a usablevalue.

Electrical leads 16 and 17 extend from the amplifying unit 15 and areconnected to an electrically operated solenoid valve 18. This valve 18is the final control valve from the oxygen supply designated, in thisinstance, by the numeral 19. Between the source of supply and the valve18 are the usual gages 20 and regulators 21.

On the discharge side of the valve 18 the patient P receives the oxygenintra-nasally by means of a catheter tube 22A. This permits greatercomfort for the patient than the use of the conventional face mask.

The operation of the device will be described by the following example.Let it be supposed that a patient is confined with a respiratorydisease; and in the treatment of the disease oxygen is administered bythe mechanism of the present invention. The patient dons the belt 10 andpositions the same around his chest or abdomen. After inserting thecatheter tube 22A the main oxygen supply is turned on together with theelectrical supply to the amplifying unit 15.

Each time the patient expands his chest in breathing, the core 12 ismoved longitudinally in the coil 11 generating a small current. Thiscurrent is amplified by the unit 15 to open the solenoid valve 18 todischarge the oxygen to the patient through the catheter tube 22A.

Included in the electrical circuits in the amplifying state may betubes, transistors, or selinium rectifiers which permit current flowuni-directionally so that upon immediate cessation of the current flow,the solenoid valve will close and cut off the oxygen supply. Thus whenthe patient inhales, he receives oxygen; but at the peak of his chestexpansion and the point of exhalation, the current ceases andconsequently his oxygen. It can now be seen that the patient receivesoxygen only as he needs it during the inhalation period of hisrespiratory cycle. Thus, theoretically, one-half of the oxygen which wasformerly maintained at a constant flow, is saved.

It will be remembered that regardless of the position of the iron core12 in the coil, the system is responsive only to the distance the coretravels and the time of the travel. If the patient takes a deep breathand expels only a portion of it before another is taken, the system isre sponsive only to the extent of the patients inhalation and the oxygenis turned on and off correspondingly.

Fig. 2 illustrates an alternate belt 22 which, in this instance,similates an inner tube of an automobile tire. A hollow stem 23 isattached to the tube 22 on one end and to a valve cylinder 24 on theother end. Within the cylinder 24 is a piston 25 afiixed to the end ofthe movable core 12'. The coil 11 may be identical with that oftheabove-described coil 11 with its electrical leads 13--'and 14'connected to the amplifying'stage as pointed out above.

The invention is simple in its construction and may be easily operated.Savings by the use of the invention are -'inestimable since one-half ofthe oxygen used by conventional open catheter systems may now be saved.'Other uses and methods of construction could be made in the inventionwithout departing frornits spirit and scope as defined by the-followingclaims.

I claim: 1. :In apparatus forthe conservation of a gas beingadministered to a patient during illness, a belt adapted 'to be worn bythe patient and positioned around the chest region thereof, -means onsaid belt responsive to the respiratory cycle of the patient forgenerating an electrical current, means for utilizing said current onlyin a unidirectional flow thereof, means for amplifying said current, asource of gas supply including a supply line to said patient, anelectrically operable solenoid valve in said line and means forutilizing said amplified current to operate said valve whereby saidpatient may receive the gas only during the inhalationperiod of hisrespiratory cycle.

2. In apparatus for the conservation of a gas being administered apatient during illness, a belt adapted to be worn by the patient andpositioned around the chest region thereof, means on said belt forgenerating an electrical current in response to the expansion andcontraction of the patients chest during breathing, means for utilizingonly that portion of the current generated during 3. A device for theadministering and conservation of a gas to a patient during illnesscomprising, a belt adapted to be Worn by the patient around his chestregion, an electrical current generating means fastened to said belt, asource of gas supply including a supply line to said patient, anelectrically operable normally closed solenoid valve in said line, meansfor utilizing said generated current to open said valve to discharge aquantity of gas to said-patient, said. current generating means beingresponsive only to the inhalation'period of, said patients breathingcycle.

4. In apparatus'for the'conservation of a gas being administered to apatient during illness, a belt adapted to be worn by the patient andpositioned around his chest region, an electriccurrent generating meanson said belt operable by the chest expansion and contraction of thepatient during his respiratory cycle, means for amplifying only thatportion of the current generated during the expanding of the patientschest, a source of gas supply including a supply line to said patient,an electrically operable valve electrically associated with said currentgenerating means and responsive in degree of opening to the amount ofcurrent generated by said generating means, said valve adaptedto controlthe amount of gas delivered to said patient.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,309,686 Heidbrink July 15,1919

2,225,201 Anderson Dec. 17, 1940 2,288,436 Cahan June 30, 1942 2,830,580Saklad et al. Apr. 15, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 729,638 Germany Dec. 19,1942

1,078,669 France May 12, 1954

